Dynamic moving bed filter apparatus

ABSTRACT

A filter apparatus of the dynamic mass granular filter type, for filtering contaminants from a liquid includes a vessel which contains a first chamber, a second chamber and a conduit pipe which connects the two chambers. The first chamber includes a sump defined by vertical walls and a flat bottom, and supports a dynamic filter bed of granular filter material. The second chamber receives a portion of the mass of granular filter material drawn from the filter bed in the sump and a portion of the liquid, in a flow of liquid through the conduit pipe and cleans and returns the portion of the mass of granular material to the dynamic filter bed through an opening in the second chamber, the size of which is adjustable from a position remote from the vessel. A filtrate recovery chamber, positioned within the dynamic filter bed, has perforated side walls for passing filtrate into the recovery chamber. The side walls are parallel with the movement of the filter materials passing the filtrate recovery chamber. A filter material deflector plate located in the filter bed and down stream from the side walls relative to the movement of the filter material past the side walls, checks the movement of the filter material passing the side walls. Interference to movement by the deflector plate is adjustable from a position remote from the vessel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to apparatus, a system and a method forfiltering suspended solids and insoluble matter from a liquid using acaptured and controlled filter medium. In particular, the inventionrelates to improved apparatus and an improved method for filteringforeign matter from a liquid using a moving filtering bed of granularfilter material of varying texture and extracting the filtered liquidfrom the most fine zone or layer of the filtration material.

2. Prior Art

The use of down-flow, varying texture, granular media filters, in whichthe filtration media is circulated on a continuing basis, beingwithdrawn from a lower portion of the filter bed, and raised to a washchamber for cleansing the filtration medium and for returning thecleansed media to the filter bed, is well known.

The continuous circulation of filter media technique has been foundpreferable over static media filtration techniques, the latter requiringperiodic backwash interruption in the filtration process. The U.S. Pat.No. 1,007,929, issued in 1911 to M. Deacon and W. Gore, discloses ahybrid filter system which uses both dynamic, or circulating filtermedia and static, or stable filter media filtration techniques. In this1911 patent the dynamic portion of the filtration media moves downwardin the filter container or vessel, past a particularly defined staticportion of the filtration media. The inventors of this hybrid systemstate, ". . . it is a recognized advantage in filters that the mediumnear the outlet shall remain comparatively undisturbed." Although theapparatus of inventors appears functional, it is evident however, thatover time, an undesirable saturation of the filter media, in the staticportion of the filtration bed, is inevitable and will contribute toundesirable pressure loss, resulting in a reduction in the efficiency ofthe system.

Since the static filter media portion of the filtration bed is notcirculated and cleansed by the same process used to circulate andcleanse the dynamic filter media portion of the filtration bed, it isapparent that the filter system disclosed in this 1911 patent, willrequire cleaning the static filter media by the traditional backwashmethod or by replacement of the captured media, or by some othercleaning process, any of which will require down time.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,060,484, issued to Austin et al, in 1977 and my U.S.Pat. No. 4,891,142, issued in 1990, both disclose filter systems of thedynamic, down-flow type. Each system employs a totally dynamic filterbed which, while entraining filtered particles to the wash portion ofthe system, progressively moves downward in the system cycle and passesdirectly against a filter media retaining sieve, where the filteredliquid or filtrate, is drawn off. Although eventually the entire filterbed media is cleansed of filtered particles, and the cleansed filtermedia is recycled to the filter bed, movement of the filter media pastthe filter retaining sieve, where recovery of the filtrate takes place,is largely uncontrolled. The teachings in both these patents disclosethat the vast majority of the coarsest filter media or material, isfound to be the most active, and consequently the dirtiest media in thefilter bed. Although my patent teaches positioning the draw-off meanswithin a layer of the most fine granular filter media of the filter bed,movement of the filter media, past the filter retaining sieve of thedraw-off means, is virtually at an uncontrolled rate. It isacknowledged, by those skilled in the art that movement disturbances ofthe filter bed, particularly in the area adjacent to the retainingsieve, containing filtered particles, will cause filtered particles todislodge and to be lost and may drive particles through the retainingsieve, thus reducing filtration efficiency. The degree of movementdisturbances, as described above, is increased proportionally to therate of downward flow or movement of the filter media.

It is also acknowledged, by those skilled in the art, that the downwardvelocity of a granular filter media bed, in a vessel of which the lowerwalls are inclined downwardly and inwardly is not uniform throughout thefilter bed when portions of the bed are withdrawn from the center of thebase of the vessel. It has been found that the greatest velocity ofdownward movement of the filter bed is in the area immediately above thepoint of filter media draw-off and that the slowest rate of descent ofthe filter bed, is along the inside of the vessel walls. Thedifferential in filter media movement rates in the area directly overthe point of filter draw-off and at the outer periphery of the bed, canbe altered by the slope, inwardly and/or downwardly, of the conical orpyramidal bottom of the vessel. However, relying on the slope of theconical or pyramidal bottom, as taught in the prior art, is inefficientif conditions change requiring a change in the slope of the vessel.Furthermore, selection of a slope in the vessel wall sufficiently steepto insure that the outer periphery of the filter bed moves downwardly ata predetermined desired rate, may be too great a slope to insuresufficient capture and may not be in harmony with the operational flowof the filtration cycle.

Centrally located deflector cones, as suggested in the prior art, haverelatively limited effect on the movement of the granular filter mediaof the filter bed and less effective on movement in the filter mediaadjacent the filter media retaining sieve of the filtrate recoverymeans. However, it is apparent from the present invention that the fullpotential of deflector cones in a multi-texture, granular filterenvironment have not been recognized nor utilized.

It is desirable to have control over the rate of movement of thegranular filter media within the area of, or adjacent to a retainingsieve of a filtrate recovery means, without relying solely on thegeometry of the vessel. It is further desirable that control of movementof the granular filter media be variable, to suit changing conditionsand/or varying applications, without costly modifications to the vessel.

A problem is that gravity, acting on the filter media moving along andparallel to an inclined wall of a vessel, is not as efficient in movingthe media as when acting on vertically moving filter media. This isbecause of friction between the interior of the vessel wall and themedia moving along the wall and the influence of the friction extendinginto the filtration media,

These problems are addressed and overcome by the present invention.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatusand method for filtering liquids using dynamic flow of a granularfiltration media of varying texture.

A further object is to provide novel apparatus for improving the controlof the downward movement of the granular filter media of the filter bedadjacent to the retaining sieve of the filtrate recovery means, in adynamic flow liquid filtering device employing a granular filtrationmedium of varying texture.

A still further object is to provide novel apparatus for improving thedownward movement of the granular filter media of the filter bed in adynamic flow liquid filtering device in which the granular filtermaterials are collected in a sump defined by vertical walls and thegranular filter materials are elevated from the sump by a lift means.

Still another object is to provide a liquid filtering apparatus of themobile bed, variable texture granular filtration type in which thereturned filter medium is laid down in vertical layers of predeterminedthickness and location, forming the filter bed.

Another object is to provide a liquid filtration apparatus, of themobile bed, granular filter media type with an improved and moreefficient internal transport system.

These and other objects will become more apparent upon reading thedetailed description referenced to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a representation, in sectional side view, of a preferredembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1a is a legend of the texture of the filter media represented inFIG. 1 and FIG. 1b;

FIG. 1b is a cross sectional view of the invention shown in FIG. 1 atline B--B on FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a representation of one embodiment of apparatus for varyingthe attitude of the deflector plate associated with the filtraterecovery chamber;

FIG. 3 is a representation of a filter system employing a plurality offilter units of the present invention; and,

FIG. 4 represents an alternate structure of wash chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a novel filtration apparatus, system and methodwherein the apparatus comprises a liquid impervious vessel supporting adynamic vertical column of varying texture granular filtration material,generally referred to as a filter bed. The vessel includes a centralchamber, which houses the filter bed, and in which the filteringoperation is accomplished; a wash chamber, in which the granularfiltration material is cleansed of captured contaminates, and a conduitlift means that transports granular filtration material and the capturedcontaminates from the central chamber to the wash chamber. The cleansedfiltration media is returned to the central chamber, through a filtermedia fall-out opening between the wash chamber and the central chamber.The granular filter material returned to the central chamber from thewash chamber, is diverted to a particular drop zone for forming thefilter bed for filtering the liquid.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vessel defines a centralchamber which has vertical walls in the upper region of the chamber andlower inclined walls, converging on a centrally located sump. The sumpis defined by vertical walls and a substantially flat bottom. Thecentral chamber supports the filter bed which is in continuous motion ormovement when the filter apparatus is in operation. The inclined wallsof the central chamber direct the granular materials of the filter bedto the centrally located sump, which utilizes the full force of gravityto move the granules downward in the sump to the opening of a liftmeans, located in the sump. Granular materials from the filter bed arecaptured and lifted up the lift means by a flow of liquid through thelift means, to the wash chamber and deposited in the wash chamber forcleansing.

Preferably, the wash chamber is located in the upper central region ofthe central chamber and includes a weir and an outlet which maintainsthe level of the liquid in the wash chamber below the level of theliquid in the central chamber, creating a continuous flow of liquid intothe wash chamber. A pipe or tube, connected between the wash chamber andthe sump, serves as a lift means, to transport liquid from the sump tothe wash chamber. The flow of the liquid into and through the lift meansdraws granular materials from the sump and lifts the materials to thewash chamber where the liquid and the filter materials are deposited,and the filter materials are cleaned. The cleansed granular materialsare returned to the filter bed through the fall-out opening between thewash chamber and the central chamber, the returned filter material beingintercepted by a conical deflector plate and diverted from a normaldownward path to a selected drop zone on the filter bed for regeneratingthe depleted filter bed.

The conical deflector plate, preferably oriented with its apex up,facing the downward flow of the returning filter media, is centrallylocated in the central chamber, closely adjacent to the fall-out openingof the wash chamber, so that the returning filter media falls on theinclined surface of the conical deflector plate.

The length of the radius of the inclined plate of the deflector cone issuch that while the apex of the deflector cone approximates the centerof the central chamber, the edge of the inclined deflector plateapproximates the mid-point of a radius extending from the perimeter ofthe central chamber to the center thereof, at the point of drop-off ofthe filter media falling from the inclined surface of the deflectorcone. By locating the edge of the inclined plate substantially at themid-point of the radius of the central chamber, the granular filtermedia, falling off the edge of the deflector cone, falls in apredetermined drop zone on the filter bed and generates a multi-layerfilter bed of positioned layers of naturally separated granularmaterial, separated according to the granular texture characteristics ofthe filter media.

Considering the fall-out opening between the wash chamber and thecentral chamber, the neck of the fall-out opening is preferably aflexible material and includes a means, which is operated remotely, forenlarging and for reducing the space between the throat of the openingand the lift means extending through the fall-out opening, effectivelychanging the size of the opening of the fall-out opening, as desired.Preferably, the size of the opening of the throat is controlled,however, it may be desired to control the size of the opening at themouth of the fall-out opening.

The liquid in the central chamber is maintained at a working level bymaintaining an input supply of liquid and controlling the outlet flow ofthe filtered liquid. The liquid in the wash chamber is maintained at asecond level, below the working level of liquid in the central chamber,by liquid flowing over the weir and out a wash chamber outlet. Thiscreates two different liquid levels in the same body of liquid. Theliquid in the filter, in seeking to equalize the liquid levels, flowsthrough the lift pipe into the wash chamber and through the fall-outopening into the wash chamber. By enlarging or reducing the size of thefall-out opening, as desired, positive control of the flow of liquidbetween the central chamber and the wash chamber is obtained. Control ofthe flow of liquid through the fall-out opening is a fine tune controlof the filtering apparatus and the filtering operation.

The granular filter media emerging from the fall-out opening of the washchamber falls on to the inclined surface or plate of the deflector coneand travels to the edge of the cone, where the filter media falls offthe edge, into the area of the central chamber forming or adding to thecontinuously depleted filter bed. In the descent of the granular filtermaterial, from the edge of the deflector cone, the most coarse of thefilter media falls down and away, that is, to the sides of the verticalfrom the drop-off point at the edge of the deflector cone, and the mostfine of the filter media falls, following most closely, the verticalfrom the edge of the deflector cone. The filter bed that is generated isa torus or doughnut shape filter bed of multiple, vertical layers offilter material, where the extreme vertical layers, that is, outer andinner layers, as seen in a cross-section of the doughnut shape from theperimeter to the center of the doughnut, are composed of the most coarsegranular filter material and the center vertical layer of the filterbed, that is, that portion of the filter bed essentially embracing themid-point of a radius passing through the filter bed, is made up of themost fine material of the granular filter media. Between the most finelayer of filter media and the most coarse layers of filter media thetexture of the filter media forming the layers enlarges progressively asthe filter media bed progresses outward from the most fine material tothe most coarse material in the filter bed.

By taking advantage of the natural separation of the granular filtermedia, a filter media deflector cone is located within the centralchamber of the filter vessel and positioned to intercept the filtermedia being returned to the filter bed after cleansing. The returnedfilter media is dropped off the edge of the deflector cone at a pointthat is essentially at the mid-point of a radius extending from theperimeter of the filter bed and the center of the central chamber,defined by the lift pipe. With the use of this structure, a filter bedof cleansed filter media is laid down in controlled, vertically disposedlayers so that a double spectrum of granular filter media layers isobtained and the surface area of most coarse filter media is essentiallydoubled over the filter beds in the prior art.

By directing the filter media to a selected drop zone on the filter bed,a controlled double spectrum of vertical layers of filter material,forming a torus shape filter bed is provided with the most fine filtermedia layer extending vertically on the inside of the filter bed and themost coarse filter media layers extending vertically at the extremes ofthe filter bed, and the location of the various layers of filter mediain the filter bed is established and positively controlled.

With the location of the most fine layer of filter material establishedand controlled, a filtrate recovery means is positioned in that area ofthe central chamber where the most fine layer of granular filtermaterial of the filter bed is layered. This means that the filtratedrawn from the filter bed will have passed through all the granularlayers of the granular filter bed, and will have been filtered by theentire spectrum of filter layers in the filter bed before being drawnoff by the filtrate recovery means. This means that the full capabilityof the filter apparatus is being used.

The problem of controlling the downward movement of the filtration mediaat the filtrate draw-off is addressed and solved by locating thefiltrate draw-off means in a predetermined layer of the granular filtermedia of the filter bed. Preferably, the filtrate recovery chamber orfiltrate draw-off means is located in the layer of most fine granularmaterial of the granular filter bed. Structurally, the filtrate draw-offmeans includes a chamber, the inlet opening of which is covered by asieve with the outlet opening coupled to an outlet pipe. The upper wallof the chamber is capped with a deflector cone, preferably having asubstantially acute apex, and oriented so that the apex of the cone isdirected most positively in line with, and facing the flow of thatportion of the filter bed in which the draw-off means is located. Thefilter sieve covers the inlet opening of the chamber which is positionedat normal to the direction of movement of the filter media. The filtersieve prevents the filter media from entering the chamber and beingdispensed with the filtrate. The filter sieve is located directly belowthe lower edge of the deflector cone and in line with the line of flowof the granular media in which the filtrate chamber is located.Preferably, the filter sieve is sufficiently fine so that the sievefunctions to keep the most fine granular filter material from enteringthe filtrate outlet. Liquid, which was supplied to the central chamberof the filter vessel, at its inlet, for filtering, has passed throughthe filter bed layers and the filtered liquid, or filtrate, will passthrough the filter sieve, into the filtrate chamber and be drawn offthrough the filtrate outlet pipe.

In order to control movement of the filter media moving along the sieveon the filtrate chamber, a deflector plate is provided immediately belowthe bottom edge of the filter sieve, in the downstream direction. Thedeflector plate is essentially oriented to interfere with the movementof the filter media in contact with and/or closely adjacent to the sievecovering the opening of the filtrate recovery chamber, and permit theremainder of the filter material in the filter bed to proceeduninterrupted, in the cyclic movement of the filter. However, theattitude of the deflector plate, relative to the direction of movementof the filter material, is adjustable so that the effectiveness of thedeflector plate in stemming the flow or movement of the filter mediapast the filter sieve may be changed, as desired.

The deflector plate and the structure for changing the attitude ororientation of the deflector plate may be in several different forms.Preferably, the deflector plate is a plurality of plates withoverlapping edges, which are attached at common ends to the base of therecovery chamber by hinge means, for example. Extending below thedeflector plates and connected to the base of the filtrate draw-offmeans is a threaded shaft. A threaded collar is screwed on to thethreaded shaft so as to travel up and down the shaft by rotating thecollar. In a preferred embodiment, gearing means, rotated from outsidethe vessel, is provided so that the collar is rotated, either clockwiseor counterclockwise, as desired, to raise or lower the collar on theshaft. In its upper most position, the top of the collar impingesagainst the under portion of the hinge connected plates of the deflectorplate, urging the plates to a ninety degree position relative to thedirection of movement of the filter media passing the sieve, so as toblock or check the movement or flow of the filter media past the filtersieve. The deflector plate at normal to the movement of the filter mediapast the sieve provides maximum check of the movement of the filtermedia, without causing unwanted blockage or back flow. When the collaris rotated, so as to be driven down the shaft, bottom pressure on thedeflector plates is relieved and the plates pivot on their hingeconnectors, in the direction of movement, offering less interference tothe flow of the filter media past the filter sieve.

By using a deflector plate positioned at the downstream end of thefilter sieve on the filtrate draw-off means, movement of the filtrationmedia in the area above the deflector plate, where the filter mediapasses the filter sieve of the filtrate draw-off means, is stemmed orchecked. By making the attitude or angular position of the platesadjustable, relative to the direction of movement of the filter media,movement of the filter media in the area above the deflector plate,where the filter media passes the filter sieve of the filtrate draw-offmeans, is controlled. The amount of interference to movement of thefilter media is a function of the angular position of the deflectorplate, relative to the movement or flow of the filter media past thedeflector plate.

Since the position and orientation of the vertical layers of a filterbed may be controlled, other characteristics of the filter bed may alsobe controlled. By establishing the ratio of the various textures ofgranular material, one to the other, the thickness of the various layersof the filter bed may also be controlled. The thickness of a specificlayer of granular material may be established, as desired, by adjustingor changing the ratio between the total volume of the varying texturegranular media and the volume of the grade or texture of granularmaterial of the layer to be adjusted or controlled. For example, if thelayer of most fine granular material in the filter bed is to be madethick or thicker than obtained, the volume of most fine granularmaterial, relative to the volume of the entire filter medium should beincreased.

The position of the deflector cone in the central chamber of the filtervessel and the location of the edge of the deflector cone, forming aselected drop zone on the filter bed, combine to provide a filter bed ofselectively positioned, vertical layers of filter material, in which thearea of the most coarse layer of filter media in a multi-grade filterbed may be greatly increased over a corresponding area of multi-gradefilter bed of the prior art.

Because defined layers of filter media are positioned according to thelocation of the edge of the deflector cone, the ratio of granularmaterials used in the filter material, that is , the ratio of mostcoarse, to coarse, to medium , to fine and to most fine, for example,may be calculated to provide the maximum surface area of most coarsefilter material for the size of the filter bed and at a layer of desiredthickness, while still controlling the thickness of others of the layersof filter media in the filter bed. By controlling the thickness of thevarious layers of filter media in the filter bed, the location anddefinition of the respective layers of filter media in the filter bedmay be accurately determined. A filtrate recovery chamber and associatedoutlet means may now be positioned in the filter bed so that thefiltrate collection chamber is located in, and surrounded by a layer ofthe most fine granular filter material at all times during the filteroperation.

By using a deflector plate, positioned in the moving layer of most finegranular filter media, downstream from the filtrate recovery chamber,movement of the most fine granular filter media past the sieve of thechamber may be checked or stemmed and by making the attitude or angularposition of the deflector plate adjustable movement of the granularmedia, past the filtrate recovery chamber and/or the filter sieve overthe opening of the chamber, may be controlled.

The granular filter material in the filter bed is continuously withdrawnfrom the filter bed, depleting the filter bed from the bottom of thebed. The removed filter media is elevated in the lift pipe or lift meansto the wash chamber for cleansing. In order to insure that all thefilter materials are cycled and cleaned, the granular materials in thefilter bed are directed to a sump in the bottom of the central chamber.The sump, defined by substantially vertical walls and a substantiallyflat bottom defines the lowest region of the central chamber. Thevertical structure of the sump permits the full force of gravity to acton or assist in moving the granules of the filter media from the filterbed to the lowest region of the central chamber. A lift pipe means,extending from the sump into the wash chamber, provides a conduit forliquid to flow from the central chamber to the wash chamber. The flow ofthe liquid into the lift pipe means draws the granules of the filtermedia from the sump, into the lift pipe means as the granules appear atthe opening of the lift pipe means. Liquid and filter granules flow upthe lift pipe and are deposited in the wash chamber.

Preferably, the differential in the liquid levels of the liquid in thecentral chamber and the liquid in the wash chamber generates a flow ofthe liquid up the lift pipe means, as the liquid seeks to level itself.The flow of liquid into and up the lift pipe means draws granular filtermaterials moved into the sump, from the sump and carries the filtermaterial to the wash chamber and deposits both liquid and filtermaterial, with captured contaminants, into the wash chamber. Thegranular filter materials are cleansed of the contaminants by anagitated wash, within the wash chamber, that is generated by multipleflows of liquid into the wash chamber from the central chamber. Thereturned, clean granular filter materials are directed to the top of thefilter bed from where the filter bed is rebuilt. From the top of thefilter bed, the filter materials move downward as the filter bed isdepleted from the bottom. The filter granules at the bottom of the bedmove into the sump and are withdrawn from the sump, up the lift pipe, inthe cycle of operation of the filter apparatus.

Preferably, the wash chamber includes a neck or throat with an openmouth, through which the lift pipe extends into the wash chamber. Thesize of the fall-out opening is defined by the space between the throatand the lift pipe. This structure provides at least two defined flows ofliquid into the wash chamber from the central chamber. The combinationof these liquid flows generates a turbulence in the liquid in the washchamber. It may be desirable to increase the turbulence in the liquidand that may be accomplished by placing one or more flow ports, such asholes or slots, for example, in the wall of the wash chamber, preferablysomewhat below the outlet of the lift pipe in the wash chamber. Theseflow ports or openings, positioned below the level of the liquid in thecentral chamber, will provide additional flows of liquid into the washchamber and would, among other advantages increase the agitation andturburlance of the liquid in the wash chamber and enhance movement ofthe granular media deposited in the chamber from the lift pipe.

The wash chamber walls may include a slidable shield for covering theflow ports in the wall of the wash chamber, as desired, making the sizeof the flow ports adjustable and the use thereof selectable.

From one aspect, the invention is a liquid filtering apparatus whichprovides a vertically structured sump in the bottom of the centralchamber of the filter, which utilizes the full force of gravity toposition the granular filter material of the filter bed in the sump, forrelocation.

From another aspect, the invention is a liquid filtering apparatus whichprovides an adjustable deflector plate, positioned below the filtraterecovery means, that may be adjusted to provide desired interferencewith movement of the filter material of the filter bed past the filtraterecovery means.

From still another aspect, the invention is a liquid filtering device orapparatus which provides a variable size fall-out opening that includesan external adjustment or control for changing the size of the openingof the fall-out opening for fine tuning the filter apparatus.

From a still further aspect the invention is a liquid filteringapparatus which provides a conical deflector plate which intercepts anddiverts granular filter material, returned from the wash chamber to thefilter bed, to a defined drop zone on the filter bed for forming afilter bed of particularly defined layers of similar texture filtermaterial.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of filter apparatus ofthe present invention is represented. The apparatus includes a vessel 10for holding a liquid to be filtered. In addition to the liquid to befiltered, the vessel retains a mass of granular filter material ofvarying texture. Most of the filter media in the vessel is in the formof a filter bed 11 which filters the liquid 12 as the liquid passesthrough the filter bed. During the filtering process the filter media inthe filter bed removes and holds or captures unwanted solid matter,referred to as contaminates, from the liquid passing through the filterbed. Portions of the filter media, with captured contaminants, aretransported from the filter bed to a wash chamber 13 in the vessel, forcleansing. The filter media in the wash chamber is in a dynamic washcycle which separates the contaminants from the filter media after whichthe filter media is transported back to the central chamber 14 forrebuilding the continuously depleting filter bed. All of the filtermedia in the vessel is in continuous motion.

The liquid to be filtered is in constant flow through the vessel. Theliquid to be filtered is applied to the input 15 of the vessel, enteringthe central chamber. Most of the liquid is passed through the filter bedand filtered. Most of the filtered liquid is recovered as a filtrate,that is, a filtered liquid. A smaller portion of the filtered liquid isused to carry filter material containing captured contaminants to thewash chamber. A small portion of unfiltered liquid is used to agitatethe materials in the wash chamber for separating contaminates from thefilter material and to discharge contaminates separated from the filtermaterial from the vessel.

The vessel 10 as represented in FIG. 1, includes at least one inlet 15,for applying liquid, under pressure, to be filtered to the centralchamber 14 and at least one filtrate outlet 18, for dispensing thefiltered liquid, or filtrate, from the vessel. The vessel is preferablycylindrical in shape with a tapered or inclined lower region whichterminates in a centrally positioned sump 19. The geometry of the vesselis not critical. The central chamber 14 houses the filter bed 11. Afloat control means 20, connected to an outlet control valve (not shown)on outlet 18, for example, maintains the level of the liquid 12 in thecentral chamber 14 at a working level, 21, for example, by controllingthe out flow of the liquid against the in flow of the liquid.

The upper central region of the vessel 10 includes a wash chamber 13,defined by walls 16. The wash chamber 13 includes an internal weir ordam 22, the top of which is below the working level 21 of the liquid inthe central chamber 12. The overflow side of the weir is connected tothe outlet 24 which permits liquid passing over the weir to escape fromthe vessel. This functions to maintain the liquid level 23 of the washchamber below the level 21 of the liquid in the central chamber. Thewash chamber includes a fall-out opening 25, through which cleansedfilter media is returned to the central chamber of the vessel in thecycle of operation of the filter.

The fall-out opening 25 includes a neck 40 (the interior of which isreferred as a throat) and open mouth, with a control valve means 28which is remotely operated, for making the throat of the fall-outopening larger or smaller, thereby controlling the flow of liquidthrough the fall-out opening. In reducing the size of the throat abovethe mouth of the fall-out opening, care should be taken not to make thespace between the throat and the lift pipe 29 too small, since, asexplained below, washed filter material is dispensed from the washchamber 13, through the fall-out opening 25, to the central chamber 12and sufficient space is required to permit passage of the returned orrecycled granular filter material.

The wash chamber 13 is connected to the lower region of the centralchamber, at the sump 19, by the lift pipe 29. The lift pipe extendsthrough the mouth of the fall-out opening 25, past the neck (through thethroat) and into the wash chamber 13, terminating with its open endbelow the level 21 of the liquid in the central chamber 12, ascontrolled by the float 20. Preferably the upper opening of the liftpipe 29 is just below the top edge of the weir 22, the top edge of whichestablishes the level of the liquid in the wash chamber. A baffle means30, located between the weir 22 and the lift pipe 29 extends down fromthe top of the wash chamber to below the opening of the lift pipe,approximating the level of the outlet 24.

Below fall-out opening 25 of the wash chamber is a deflector cone orconical plate 31. The apex of the deflector cone 31 approximates themid-point of a diameter passing through the vessel. The edge 32 of theinclined plate forming the deflector cone 31 approximates the mid-pointof a radius of the vessel extending between the center of the vessel andthe periphery of the vessel where the edge of the deflector cone isterminated. The location of the edge 32 of the inclined plate of thedeflector cone 31 relative to the radius of the vessel is critical, if abalance in the layers of filter bed is desired.

A filtrate recovery chamber 33 is located in the central chamber of thevessel and is connected to the filtrate outlet 18. A deflector plate 35is located at the bottom of the filtrate recovery chamber 33. Thisstructure will be discussed below.

The internal structure of the vessel 10 which comprises the filterapparatus, is arranged to generate a pressure driven internal dynamiccycle of the liquid and filter material contained in the vessel when thecentral chamber of the vessel is filled to the working level and liquidis applied to the inlet and at least the wash chamber outlet isdispensing liquid.

As previously explained, the working level of the liquid in the centralchamber 10 is maintained at 21, for example and the working level of theliquid in the wash chamber 13 is maintained at 23, for example, theliquid level 21 being higher that the liquid level 23. Thus twodifferent levels of liquid are established and maintained in the samebody of liquid. The difference between the level of the liquid in thecentral chamber and the level of the liquid in the wash chamber causesthe liquid in the central chamber to be driven into the wash chamberthrough the lift pipe 29 and through the fall-out opening 25, as theliquid attempts to raise the level 23 to the level 21.

The flow of liquid through the lift pipe 29, from the sump 19 in thecentral chamber to the wash chamber, draws filter granules driven intothe sump 19, into the lift pipe 29 with the liquid. The granules drawninto the lift pipe 29 leave a space in the sump 19 which is filled byother granules from the filter bed 11. This is a continuous action thatdepletes the filter bed 11 from the bottom of the bed, causing thegranular filter material in the filter bed 11 to move toward the sump19, the inclined walls 38 of the vessel directing the materials in thefilter bed toward the sump 19. The vertical walls 39 of the sump 19permit utilization of the full force of gravity to transport thegranular filter material to the bottom of the sump 19 from the filterbed 11.

The granular filter materials driven into the sump include capturedcontaminants, which are transported to the wash chamber 13 through thelift pipe 29 with the flow of the liquid through the lift pipe. Thefilter materials and the contaminates are deposited in the wash chamber13 and are met by another liquid flow, through the fall-out opening. Theflow of liquid from the lift pipe is essentially a strong flow,originating from the lowest region of the vessel. The flow of liquidfrom the fall-out opening is a substantially less strong flow,originating from a higher region of the vessel. The difference in thestrength of the flows of liquid entering the wash chamber, results in afilter washing action, in the wash chamber, that separates thecontaminants from the filter granules. The released contaminates arecarried out of the wash chamber, over the weir 22 and out the outlet24.1The filter materials fall out of the wash chamber through the throatand mouth of the fallout opening.

Preferably, a strong flow of liquid up the lift pipe 29 is generated inorder to draw granular filter material, with captured contaminants, fromthe sump 19 and transport the granular filter material and thecontaminants to the wash chamber, with the liquid.

Preferably, the neck 40 of the fall-out opening 25 is made of a flexiblematerial that may be narrowed or expanded in order to control the flowof liquid into the wash chamber through the fall-out opening 25.Accordingly, a control valve means 28 is provided, which may be operatedexternally of the vessel 10, by control means 41 to enlarge or reducethe size of the opening between the throat and the lift pipe 29. Controlover the flow of liquid through the fall-out opening may be used to finetune the cyclic operation of the filter.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 1a, the MEDIA LEGEND in FIG. 1a indicated therepresentation used for the texture of the multiple textured granularfilter material represented in FIG. 1 as MOST FINE; MEDIUM and MOSTCOURSE. Although three different grades or textures of material arerepresented, it is apparent that more than three or less than threedifferent textures of material may be present in a granular filtermedia.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the vessel 10 andits structure is represented, in operating condition. The filter vesselis receiving a liquid to be filtered and the level of the liquid in thecentral chamber 12 is at 21, which is represented as a working liquidlevel of the filter system.

For convenience, the shape of the vessel 10 is represented ascylindrical, the length of which exceeds the diameter, however thegeometry of the vessel is not necessarily critical and the vessel may bein other geometric shape, as desired.

The vessel 10 retains a granular filter material represented in MOSTFINE, MEDIUM and MOST COURSE texture, the granular filter materialforming a filter bed 11 in the central chamber 12, of the vessel. Thefilter bed is represented in a working orientation which may beestablished and maintained when practicing the invention.

The lift pipe 29 is centrally positioned in the central chamber 12,extending substantially from the sump 19 of the vessel to the washchamber, 13 in the upper region of the vessel. The cross section of thefilter bed 11 in FIG. 1b is a torus or doughnut shape, the lift pipe 29defining the hole in the doughnut shape. Being doughnut shape, thefilter bed has an inside surface and an outside surface, the insidesurface being along the lift pipe and the outside surface being alongthe interior wall 42 of the vessel. As represented in FIGS. 1 and 1b thefilter bed 11 is formed in a plurality of vertical layers of filtermaterial. These vertical layers are represented as interior Most Coarselayer 43 and exterior Most Coarse layer 43', interior Medium layer 44and exterior Medium lay 44' and Most Fine 45.

Orientation of the vertical layers of granular filter media isestablished during the cyclic flow of the filter system by diverting themovement of the filter media returning to the filter bed, from the washchamber, by the conical deflector plate 31 so as to direct the filtermedia to a desired drop zone on the filter bed.

As seen in FIG. 1b, a cross-sectional view of the representation of theinvention along line B--B, in FIG. 1, the edge 32 of the conicaldeflector plate 31 approximates the mid-point (1/2 R) of the radius 48of the vessel 10. From this preferred position of the edge 32 of theinclined plate of the conical deflector, the various granules of thefilter material which have moved down the incline portion of the conicaldeflector 31 to the edge 32, drop off the edge toward the filter bed.The granules separate, according to texture by natural classification,forming vertical layers of like granules. The most fine texturedgranular materials fall into and remain in the center of the drop zone,forming a most fine layer 45 in the center of the filter bed 11. Themedium texture granular materials fall and spread out to both sides ofthe drop zone of the most fine materials forming layers of mediumgranules 44 and 44' on both sides of the most fine layer 45. The mostcoarse of the granular materials falling from the edge 32 of thedeflector plate spread out further, forming layers 43 and 43' on theinside and outside of the inside layer 44 and the outside layer 44' ofmedium texture material, respectively. A mid-radius position of the edge32 position the various layers of the multi-textured granular filtermaterial in the filter bed with the most fine filter layer centeredinside the doughnut shape filter bed. By changing the location of theedge 32 along the radius of the vessel 10, the location of the variouslayers of filter material may be shifted, with the relationship betweenthe layers remaining unchanged.

Looking at FIG. 1b, a cross-section of the filter bed 11 in the vessel10, the filter bed appears torus or doughnut shape, the hole of thedoughnut shape being the lift pipe 29. By selecting a ratio of volumesof granules of different texture, one to the other, the width of thevertical layers of the various texture granules may be established, asdesired.

Alternatively, by selectively positioning the edge 32 of the inclinedplate of the conical deflector 31 in the central chamber, a drop zone,for the returned granular filter media, on the filter bed may be definedand location of the layers of the filter bed, may be established, asdesired.

Preferably, a filtrate recovery chamber 33, for example, is positionedin an area of the most fine granular media layer. Although only onefiltrate recovery chamber is represented, is should be understood thatmore than one may be used, if desired. Preferably, the filtrate recoverychamber 33 includes a closed conical top 48, with apex extending upward,into the most fine layer of filter media in the filter bed, a closedbottom and side walls between the top and the bottom. The side wallsinclude one or more openings, or may be perforated for permittingpassage of the filtrate through the side wall into the chamber of thefiltrate chamber. The side wall opening may be covered by a filter sieve49, which permits passage of the filtrate but is sufficiently fine tokeep the most fine granules in the filter media from passing into therecovery chamber. A deflector plate 35 is located adjacent the closedbottom of the recovery chamber, down stream in the movement of thefilter media from the side walls of the filtrate recovery chamber. Thefiltrate recovery chamber 33 also includes a pipe means 18, connected tothe bottom of the chamber, for evacuating the filtrate from the filtraterecovery chamber. Preferably, the deflector plate is planar in contour,but may be curved, if desired.

Preferably the deflector plate 35 is adjustable. This is clearly shownin FIG. 2. The angle at which the blades of the plate may be oriented,relative to the movement of the filter media past the side walls orfilter sieve 49, is changeable. The deflector plate 35, is planar andmay be composed of a plurality of blades, the edges of which overlapforming a circular plate. The blades of the plate 35 are hinge 50mounted on or near the bottom of the filtrate chamber. The filtratedraw-off pipe 18, connected to the bottom of the housing of the filtraterecovery chamber is threaded with conventional threads 51 on theexterior thereof. A collar 52, tapped with conventional threads, isscrewed on to the threads 51. The exterior of the collar 52 haslongitudinal gear teeth 53. A rod 54 is mounted on the pipe 18, belowthe travel of the collar 52, the rod 54 passing through and extendingoutside the vessel 12. A gear plate 55 is connected to the rod 54 so asto rotate with the rod when the rod is turned. The gear plate 55 hasgear teeth that mate with the gear teeth 53 on the collar 52. When therod 54 is rotated, the gear plate 55 rotates and the teeth 58 on thegear plate mesh with the teeth 53 on the collar 52 thereby rotating thecollar and driving the collar up or down the threads 51 in the pipe 18,according to the direction of rotation of the rod 54. Other means forrotating and/or moving the collar toward and away from the deflectorplate may be used, as desired.

The collar 52 is represented in full elevated position with the top ofthe collar impinging on the bottom of the plates 35 of the deflectorplate, holding the deflector plate at a maximum interference-to-the-flowposition, without generating a back flow of the filter media. Byrotating the rod 54 counter clockwise, as represented by arrow 59, thecollar will be rotated in the direction of the arrow 60, and will ridedown the threads 51. Lowering the collar 52, such as at 52', forexample, on the threads will permit the deflector plate 35 to re-orientits angular position relative to movement of the filter media passingthe sieve, such as represented by the plate 35', in broken line form.

The deflector plate, which checks or blocks the progress or movement ofthe granular filter materials forming the filter bed, particularly thatpassing the side walls of the filtrate recovery chamber, may be a planarplate or a curved or nonflat plate. The plate may have a closed or solidsurface which, when positioned other than parallel with the direction ofmovement of the materials in filter bed, interferes with or checks themovement of the materials of the filter bed, depending on the angularorientation of the deflector plate, relative to the movement of thefilter materials in which the filter plate is located or positioned. Thegreatest effect of the deflector plate on the materials in the filterbed is on the materials directly upstream from the deflector plate. Withthe deflector plate positioned substantially at ninety degrees to thedirection of movement of the filter materials, maximum check of themovement is achieved, without blockage. As the plate is moved angularly,in the direction of the movement of the filter materials, so as toincrease the angle toward one hundred eighty degrees, the degree ofcheck is progressively reduced.

Alternatively, the deflector plate may have an open or sieve-likesurface, which, when the holes in the surface of the plate are open,exerts very little check on the movement of the filter materials movingpast or through the plate and when the holes are closed exerts maximumcheck for the particular plate. The size of the holes, this is, betweenfully open and fully closed may be adjustable.

Attention is directed to FIG. 3, which represents a liquid filteringsystem in which a plurality of filter units A, B and C, for example arehoused in a housing 65. It should be understood that more than threefilter units or fewer than three filter units may be used in a filtersystem, as desired.

The housing 65 has an inlet 68 for supplying the liquid to be filteredto the system and an outlet 69 from which the filtered liquid orfiltrate may be dispensed. The base or bottom of the filter units 70-75are connected together and to the walls 78 of the housing 65 and definea filtrate holding chamber 79.

Filter unit B, for example, is defined by side walls 80 and 81, with anopen central chamber which is common to all the filter units in thehousing. The filter B includes inclined walls 72 and 73 and a sump 82,between the inclined walls. A lift tube or pipe 83, which has a loweropening in the sump 82, extends from the sump to a wash chamber 84 inthe upper region of the central chamber 85, defined by the upper regionof the housing 65. That part of the central chamber which supports thefilter bed 88, is defined by the common walls 80 and 81. Each of thefilter unit include two filtrate recovery chambers, such as 89 and 90 infilter unit B. Each filter recovery chamber is connected to a commonfiltrate holding chamber 79.

The level of the liquid to be filtered by the system is maintained atleast at a working level 91, which is above the level 92 of the liquidin the wash chamber 84. The working level 91 of the liquid in thecentral chamber 85 is common to all the filter units. The level of theliquid in the wash chamber is maintained at a level below the workinglevel by the weir 93 and the liquid outlet 94.

Each of the filtrate recovery chambers include an adjustable turbulencedeflector plate 95 and a threaded collar 96, such as represented in FIG.2. The threaded collars of each filter unit are represented as connectedto a common control 97, however, each could be connected to a separatecontrol for individually adjusting the individual deflector plate.

Each wash chamber includes its own fall-out opening, such as 98, betweenthe wash chamber and the central chamber of the filter unit of which thewash chamber is a part. Each fall-out opening is adjustable so that theliquid flow into the wash chamber may be controlled. The fall-outopening control means 99 of each filter unit is tied to a common control100, although each fall-out opening control means may be tied to aseparate, individual control for individual control of each fall-outopening, if desired.

The outlets 94 of each wash chamber 84 are fed to a common outlet (notshown) where some of the liquid and the removed contaminants arerecovered for disposal or separate treatment.

Each filter unit includes a conical deflector plate 101 which interceptsthe filter material returned from the wash chamber 84 to the filter bed88.

The filtrate recovery chambers 89 and 90, each include a controlleddeflector plate 95 and a control collar 96 each of which are representedas coupled to a common control shaft 97. Since a common filtrate holdingtank 79 is provided the filtrate recovery outlet pipe of each filtraterecovery chamber is fed into the holding tank 79.

It will be appreciated that although there are some structuraldifferences between the preferred embodiment of the invention and thefilter unit in the system, a filter apparatus as represented in FIG. 1and a filter unit as represented in FIG. 3 will function substantiallythe same.

With reference to FIG. 4, it may be desired to increase the turbulenceof the liquid in the wash chamber 13. This may be do by adding flowports 27 (holes or slots) to a wall portion of the wash chamber belowthe level 21 of the liquid in the central chamber 12.

Preferably one or more liquid flow ports 27 are positioned in theinclined portion 26 of the wall 16 at a location below the outlet of thelift pipe 29.

A slide cover 36 may be coupled to the wall of the wash chamber, eitherinterior or exterior, and made movable from outside the vessel 10, tocover the flow ports, wholly or partially, as desired.

Thus there has been represented and described a preferred embodiment ofmy novel liquid filtering apparatus, from which several describedadvantages are obtained, and a filter system employing filter units ofthe present invention. When filtering a liquid, which could be water orany other filterable liquid, in my novel filter apparatus, the filteringapparatus is self cleaning and is driven by a pressure differentialdeveloped and maintained by the operating filter apparatus. The filterapparatus is driven through the filter cycle, which includes passing theliquid through a filter bed, removing contaminants from the liquid bycapturing the contaminants by the filter materials forming the filterbed; progressively drawing filter material from the filter bed; cleaningthe contaminants from the filter material in a wash chamber driven bythe filter apparatus; returning the filter material to the filter bed tomake a new, clean filter bed; recovering the filtered liquid; and,disposing of the contaminants, by pressure and pressure differences ofthe liquid being filtered.

When the operation of the filter requires adjustment, movement of thefilter media past the filter sieve on the filtrate recovery chamber maybe increased or slowed down, as desired, by externally adjusting theangular position of the deflector plates below the filtrate recoverychamber. Operation of the filter apparatus may be fine tuned byadjusting the size of the throat of the fall-out opening to change theflow of liquid into the wash chamber from the central chamber.

It may be desirable to increase the flow of liquid, and therefore themovement of filter material, up the lift pipe or lift means. To increasethe flow of liquid in the lift pipe, air, and/or some other gas may beinjected into the lift pipe as shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,194,issued Dec. 22, 1992. Certain gases, such as chlorine, for example, maybe injected into the filtering apparatus and may sanitize the liquid, ifdesired.

The operation of my present filter apparatus may be further remotelyadjusted and/or fine tuned, by changing, as desired, the size of theopening in the fall-out opening of the wash chamber.

More surface area of the most coarse textured granular filter medialayer is obtained by using a conical deflector plate to selectivelylocate the filter bed build-up area for the filter bed in the collectionchamber. The thickness of the vertical layers of the filter material inthe filter bed may be established, as desired, by adjusting the relativevolume, the various texture of granular filter media forming the filterbed.

These and other advantages are obtained when practicing my invention.Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been describedrelative to the drawings, and some modifications have been suggested,changes and other modification may be made, as may become apparent tothose skilled in the art, without departing from the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. In an improved filter apparatus for filteringunwanted contaminants from a liquid introduced into said filterapparatus and extracting said liquid from said filter as a filtratewherein said filter apparatus includes a vessel having a first chambersupporting a dynamic bed of filter media, an input means for introducingsaid liquid into said first chamber for filtering said liquid, a conduitmeans for conducting a first portion of liquid, defining a portion ofsaid liquid, and a first portion of filter media, defining a portion ofsaid dynamic bed of filter media, to a second chamber within said vesselfor cleaning captured unwanted contaminants from said first portion offilter media, said second chamber including a waste draw-off outletmeans for dispensing at least a second portion of said first portion ofliquid from said vessel and said unwanted contaminants separated fromsaid first portion of filter media, a first opening between said firstchamber and said second chamber for returning said first portion offilter media to said dynamic bed of filter media for replenishing saiddynamic bed of filter media, wherein the improvement comprises:afiltrate collection chamber positioned in said first chamber within saidbed of filter media for collecting and dispensing said filtrate aftersaid filtrate has passed through a portion of said dynamic bed of filtermedia, said filtrate collection chamber including an outlet means, aclosed top, a closed bottom and sides between said closed top and saidclosed bottom, defining a hollow collection chamber, at least a portionof said sides perforated for permitting passage of said filtrate intosaid hollow collection chamber, said outlet means connected to a lowerportion of said filtrate collection chamber and extending to and passingthrough said vessel for dispensing said filtrate from said first chamberof said filter apparatus; and, a filter deflector plate coupled at oneend thereof to said filtrate collection chamber for angular movementabout said one end and positioned substantially adjacent said closedbottom of said filtrate collection chamber, said filter deflector plateextending outwardly from a junction of said closed bottom and said sidesof said filtrate collection chamber into said dynamic bed of filtermedia, said filter deflector plate having a free end thereof terminatingin said dynamic bed of filter media, said filter deflector plate forreducing a velocity of movement of a second portion of filter mediamoving along and adjacent said sides perforated of said filtratecollection chamber.
 2. An improved filter apparatus as in claim 1 and inwhich said filter deflector plate is a planar plate.
 3. An improvedfilter apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said filter deflector plate iscoupled at said one end to said filtrate collection chamber forpositioning said filter deflector plate adjacent said closed bottom ofsaid filtrate collection chamber and downstream from said closed bottom,in the direction of movement of said dynamic bed of filter media pastsaid sides perforated of said filtrate collection chamber.
 4. In animproved filter apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the improvement furthercomprises:a hinge means coupled to said one end of said filter deflectorplate and to said filtrate collection chamber for mounting said filterdeflector plate to said filtrate collection chamber for angular movementof said filter deflector plate about said one end of said filterdeflector plate.
 5. In an improved filter apparatus as in claim 4wherein the improvement further comprises:a deflector plate movablemeans movable toward and away from said filter deflector plate forchanging an angle of orientation of said filter deflector plate.
 6. Afilter apparatus employing a dynamic mass of granular filter materialfor removing contaminants from a liquid by passing said liquid through adynamic bed of filter media, said filter apparatus comprising:a vesselhaving an input for supplying said liquid to said filter apparatus and afirst output for dispensing said liquid as a filtrate from said filterapparatus; a first chamber in said vessel retaining a first portion ofsaid dynamic mass of granular filter material defining a dynamic bed offilter media for filtering said contaminants from said liquid; a secondchamber in said vessel for progressively receiving a second portion ofsaid dynamic mass of granular filter material drawn from said dynamicbed of filter media and a first portion of said liquid for cleaning saidcontaminants captured by said second portion of said dynamic mass ofgranular filter material from said second portion of said dynamic massof granular filter material, said second chamber including a wasteoutlet means for dispensing a second portion of said liquid and saidcontaminants captured by said second portion of said dynamic mass ofgranular filter material from said filter apparatus; a conduit meansconnecting a lower region of said first chamber with said second chamberfor conducting said second portion of said dynamic mass of granularfilter material, drawn from said dynamic bed of filter media and saidfirst portion of said liquid to said second chamber and depositing saidsecond portion of said dynamic mass and said first portion of saidliquid into said second chamber, said second chamber including a firstopening for permitting a third portion of said liquid to flow into saidsecond chamber and for returning said second portion of said dynamicmass of granular filter material to said first chamber; a filtraterecovery chamber located within said dynamic bed of filter mediaconnected to said first output for dispensing filtrate from said filterapparatus, said filtrate recovery chamber defined by a closed top, aclosed bottom and side walls between said closed top and said closedbottom, at least a part of said side walls being perforated for passingfiltrate from said dynamic bed of filter media into said filtraterecovery chamber; a deflector plate coupled at one end thereof, to saiddownstream, relative to movement of said dynamic bed of filter mediapast said side walls of said filtrate recovery chamber, said deflectorplate extending outward from said closed bottom to a free endterminating in said dynamic bed of filter media for interfering withmovement of a portion of said dynamic bed of filter media adjacent saidside walls; and adjustable means connected to said deflector plate foradjusting an orientation of said deflector plate relative to movement ofsaid dynamic bed of filter media.
 7. A filter apparatus as in claim 6and said first opening includes control means for enlarging and reducingthe size of opening of said first opening for controlling a flow of saidthird portion of said liquid into said second chamber.
 8. A filterapparatus as in claim 6 and in which said second chamber is defined inpart by a wall and said wall includes one or more flow holes locatedbelow a level defined by said first portion of said liquid in saidsecond chamber and above said first opening for permitting a fourthportion of said liquid to flow into said second chamber.
 9. A filterapparatus as in claim 8 and in which said second chamber furtherincludes cover means for covering in whole or in part said one or moreflow holes for controlling flow of said fourth portions of said liquidinto said second chamber through said one or more flow holes.
 10. In animproved filter apparatus for filtering unwanted contaminants from aliquid introduced into said filter apparatus and extracting said liquidfrom said filter apparatus as a filtrate wherein said filter apparatusincludes a vessel having a first chamber supporting a bed of filtermedia, an input means for introducing said liquid into said firstchamber for filtering said liquid, a conduit means for conducting afirst portion of said liquid and a first portion of filter media,defining a portion of said bed of filter media, to a second chamberwithin said vessel for cleaning captured unwanted contaminants from saidfirst portion of filter media, said second chamber including a wastedraw-off outlet means for dispensing at least a second portion of saidfirst portion of liquid from said vessel and a first opening betweensaid first chamber and said second chamber for returning said firstportion of filter media to said bed of filter media for replenishingsaid bed of filter media, wherein the improvement comprises:a filtratecollection chamber positioned in said first chamber within said bed offilter media for collecting and dispensing said filtrate after saidfiltrate has passed through said bed of filter media, said filtratecollection chamber including an outlet means, a top, a bottom and sidesbetween said top and said bottom, defining a hollow collection chamber,at least a portion of said sides perforated for permitting passage ofsaid filtrate into said hollow collection chamber, said outlet meansconnected to said closed bottom of said filtrate collection chamber andextending to and passing through said vessel for dispensing saidfiltrate from said first chamber of said filter apparatus; and, adeflector plate, positioned adjacent said bottom of said filtratecollection chamber, said deflector plate extending beyond said sides ofsaid filtrate collection chamber and terminating in said bed of filtermedia for interfering with movement of a second portion of filter mediain said bed of filter media moving past said sides of said filtratecollection chamber; and, a hinge means connected to said deflector platefor mounting said deflector plate adjacent said bottom of said filtratecollection chamber, said deflector plate being movable with respect tosaid sides.
 11. In an improved filter apparatus as in claim 10 whereinthe improvement further comprises;a movable means, movable with respectto said deflector plate and impinging on said deflector plate, forchanging an orientation of said deflector plate, relative to a directionof movement of said second portion of filter media moving past saidsides of said filtrate collection chamber.
 12. An improved filterapparatus as in claim 11 and in which said movable means is a collar andsaid collar is movable along said outlet means, toward and away fromsaid deflector plate for applying pressure on said deflector plate, forcausing said deflector plate to pivot about said hinge means.
 13. Animproved filter apparatus as in claim 12 and further including meanscoupled to said collar and extending outside said vessel for drivingsaid collar along said outlet means, from without said vessel.
 14. Animproved filter apparatus as in claim 12 and in which said outlet meansincludes exterior threads and said collar is threaded and screwed on tosaid exterior threads and said collar may be rotated on said exteriorthreads of said outlet means for driving said collar along said outletmeans.
 15. In an improved filter apparatus for filtering contaminantsfrom a liquid introduced into a filter apparatus and extracting saidliquid from said filter apparatus as a filtrate wherein said filterapparatus includes a vessel having a first chamber for receiving saidliquid from an input and first level control means for maintaining saidliquid in said first chamber at a first predetermined level, said firstchamber supporting a first filter media of a mass of granular filtermedia, said first filter media defining a filter bed, said mass ofgranular filter media in continuous movement defining a dynamic filterbed, and a filtrate recovery chamber including a filtrate draw-off meanspositioned within said dynamic filter bed, said filtrate draw-off meansdefining a conductor for conducting filtrate from said filtrate recoverychamber to outside said vessel, a second chamber for receiving a secondfilter media of said mass of granular filter media, drawn from saiddynamic filter bed along with a first portion of said liquid from saidfirst chamber, said second chamber including a second level controlmeans for maintaining said first portion of said liquid in said secondchamber at a second predetermined level, said second chamber including ameans for receiving a lift pipe means, said lift pipe means forconnecting said second chamber to a bottom region of said first chamberfor conducting said second filter media and said first portion of saidliquid to said second chamber from said bottom region of said firstchamber and for depositing said first portion of said liquid and saidsecond filter media in said second chamber, and a first opening betweensaid first chamber and said second chamber for permitting a secondportion of said liquid to flow from said first chamber into said secondchamber and for returning said second filter media to said first chamberfor replenishing said dynamic filter bed, wherein the improvementcomprises:a planar deflector plate mounted to said filtrate recoverychamber for positioning said planar deflector plate in said dynamicfilter bed adjacent said filtrate recovery chamber and down stream fromsaid filtrate recovery chamber in a direction of movement of saiddynamic filter bed past said filtrate recovery chamber, for checking amovement of a portion of said dynamic filter bed past said filtraterecovery chamber, said planar deflector plate being movable so that anangular relation between said planar deflector plate and said directionof movement of said dynamic filter bed past said filtrate recoverychamber, may be changed for controlling the degree of check on saidmovement of said portion of said dynamic filter bed past-said filtraterecovery chamber.
 16. In an improved filter apparatus for filteringcontaminants from a liquid introduced into said filter apparatus andextracting said liquid from said filter apparatus as a filtrate whereinsaid filter apparatus includes a vessel having a first chamber forreceiving said liquid from an input and first level control means formaintaining said liquid in said first chamber at a first predeterminedlevel, said first chamber supporting a first filter media of a mass ofgranular filter material, said first filter media defining a filter bed,said mass of granular filter material in continuous movement defining adynamic filter bed, and a filtration recovery chamber including afiltrate draw-off means positioned within said dynamic filter bed, saidfiltrate draw-off means defining a conductor for conducting filtratefrom said filtrate recovery chamber to outside said vessel, a secondchamber for receiving a second filter media of said mass of granularfilter material, drawn from said dynamic filter bed along with a firstportion of said liquid from said first chamber, said second chamberincluding second level control means for maintaining said first portionof said liquid in said second chamber at a second predetermined level,said second chamber including a first opening for receiving a lift pipemeans extending from said second chamber to a bottom region of saidfirst chamber, said lift pipe means for conducting said second filtermedia and said first portion of said liquid to said second chamber fromsaid bottom region of said first chamber and for depositing said firstportion of said liquid and said second filter media in said secondchamber, said first opening for permitting a second portion of saidliquid to flow into said second chamber and for returning said secondfilter media to said first chamber for replenishing said dynamic filterbed wherein the improvement comprises:a deflector plate, positioned insaid dynamic filter bed adjacent said filtrate recovery chamber anddownstream from said filtrate recovery chamber in the direction ofmovement of said dynamic filter bed past said filtrate recovery chamberfor checking a movement of a portion of said dynamic filter bed pastsaid filtrate recovery chamber; said filtrate recovery chamber definedby a closed top, a closed bottom and side walls between said closed topand said closed bottom, and said side walls are open, at least in part,for passing said filtrate into said filtrate recovery chamber; and,adjustable mounting means for adjustably mounting said deflector plateto said filtrate recovery chamber so that said deflector plate isadjustable for adjusting an angular relationship between said deflectorplate and a direction of movement of said portion of said dynamic filterbed past said filtrate recovery chamber for adjusting the check of saidmovement of said portion of said dynamic filter bed past said sidewalls.
 17. In an improved filter apparatus for filtering contaminantsfrom a liquid introduced into said filter apparatus and extracting saidliquid from said filter apparatus as a filtrate wherein said filterapparatus includes a vessel having a first chamber for receiving saidliquid from an input and first level control means for maintaining saidliquid in said first chamber at a first predetermined level, said firstchamber supporting a first filter media of a mass of granular filtermaterial, said first filter media defining a filter bed in continuousmovement defining a dynamic filter bed and a filtrate recovery chamberincluding a filtrate draw-off means positioned within said dynamicfilter bed said filtrate draw-off means for conducting filtrate fromsaid filtrate recovery chamber to outside said vessel, a second chamberwithin said vessel for receiving a second filter media of said mass ofgranular filter material drawn from said dynamic filter bed along with afirst portion of said liquid from said first chamber, said secondchamber including a second level control means for maintaining saidfirst portion of said liquid in said second chamber at a secondpredetermined level, and said second chamber is defined by connectingwalls, a first wall of said connecting walls having a first openingtherein for receiving a lift pipe means extending from said secondchamber to a bottom region of said first chamber, said lift pipe meansfor conducting said second filter media and said first portion of saidliquid to said second chamber from said bottom region of said firstchamber and for depositing said first portion of said liquid and saidsecond filter media in said second chamber and a second opening in saidconnecting walls of said second chamber for permitting a second portionof said liquid to flow into said second chamber from said first chamberand for returning said second filter media to said first chamber forreplenishing said dynamic filter bed wherein the improvement comprises:aneck extending from said second chamber and a mouth at an end of saidneck, said neck and said mouth defining said second opening, said neckbeing flexible, subject to being enlarged in size of opening and reducedin size of opening for controlling a flow of said second portion of saidliquid into said second chamber through said second opening for tuningsaid filter apparatus.
 18. An improved filter apparatus as in claim 17and said second opening further includes control means, operable remotefrom said vessel and connected to said second opening for changing thesize of opening of said neck, for controlling the flow of said secondportion of said liquid into said first chamber through said secondopening for tuning said filter apparatus.
 19. An improved filterapparatus as in claim 17 and said second opening is flexible and saidsecond chamber further includes control means connected to said secondopening and operable remote from said vessel for changing the size ofopening of said second opening for controlling a flow of said secondportion of said liquid therethrough.
 20. An improved filter apparatus asin claim 17 in which said connecting walls include said first openingand said second opening and the improvement further includes one or moreflow holes in a wall of said connecting walls, said one or more flowholes position above said first opening and below said secondpredetermined level, for permitting a third portion of said liquid toenter said second chamber from said first chamber for agitating saidsecond portion of said liquid in said second chamber.
 21. An improvedfilter apparatus as in claim 20 and said second chamber further includesadjustable cover means for covering, in whole or in part, said one ormore flow holes in said wall of said connecting walls for controllingthe flow of said third portion of said liquid into said second chamber.22. A filter apparatus employing a dynamic mass of granular filtermaterial for removing contaminants from a liquid by passing said liquidthrough a dynamic filter bed, said filter apparatus comprising:a vesselhaving an input for supplying said liquid to said filter apparatus and afirst output for dispensing said liquid as a filtrate from said filterapparatus; a first chamber in said vessel retaining a first portion ofsaid dynamic mass of granular filter material defining said dynamicfilter bed for filtering said contaminants from said liquid; a secondchamber in said vessel for progressively receiving a second portion ofsaid dynamic mass of granular filter material drawn from said dynamicfilter bed and a first portion of said liquid, for cleaning saidcontaminants, captured by said second portion of said dynamic mass ofgranular filter material from said second portion of said dynamic massand dispensing said first portion of said liquid and said contaminantsfrom said filter apparatus through a waste outlet means; a conduit meansconnecting a lower region of said first chamber with said second chamberfor conducting said second portion of said dynamic mass of granularfilter material and said first portion of said liquid to said secondchamber and depositing said second portion of said dynamic mass ofgranular filter material and said first portion of said liquid into saidsecond chamber, said second chamber including a first opening betweensaid first chamber and said second chamber for returning said secondportion of said dynamic mass of granular filter material to said dynamicfilter bed for replenishing said dynamic filter bed; a filtrate recoverychamber located within said dynamic filter bed connected to a firstoutput for providing filtrate to said first output for dispensingfiltrate from said filter apparatus, said filtrate recovery chamberdefined by a top, a bottom and side walls between said top and saidbottom, at least a part of said side walls being perforated for passingfiltrate from said dynamic filter bed into said filtrate recoverychamber as said dynamic filter bed moves past said side walls of saidfiltrate recovery chamber; and said first opening in said second chamberis changeable relative to a size of opening of said first opening andsaid filter apparatus includes a control means coupled to said firstopening and extending through said vessel, for enlarging and reducingsaid size of opening of said first opening, as desired, from outsidesaid vessel.
 23. A filter apparatus employing a dynamic mass of granularfilter material for removing contaminants from a liquid by passing saidliquid through a dynamic filter bed, said filter apparatus comprising:avessel having an input for supplying said liquid to said filterapparatus and a first output for dispensing said liquid as a filtratefrom said filter apparatus; a first chamber in said vessel for retaininga first portion of said dynamic mass of granular filter materialdefining a dynamic filter bed for filtering said contaminants from saidliquid; a second chamber in said vessel for progressively receiving asecond portion of said dynamic mass of granular filter material and afirst portion of said liquid, for cleansing said contaminants, capturedby said second portion of said dynamic mass of granular material fromsaid second portion of said dynamic mass and dispensing said firstportion of said liquid and said contaminants from said filter apparatusthrough a waste outlet means; A conduit means connecting a lower regionof said first chamber with said second chamber for conducting saidsecond portion of said dynamic mass of granular filter material and saidfirst portion of said liquid to said second chamber and depositing saidsecond portion of said dynamic mass of granular filter material and saidfirst portion of said liquid into said second chamber, said secondchamber including a first opening between said second chamber and saidfirst chamber for returning said second portion of said dynamic mass ofgranular filter material to said dynamic filter bed for replenishingsaid dynamic filter bed; a filtrate recovery chamber located within saiddynamic filter bed, said filtrate recovery chamber connected to saidfirst output for providing said filtrate to said first output fordispensing said filtrate from said filter apparatus, said filtraterecovery chamber defined by a top, a bottom and side walls between saidtop and said bottom, at least a portion of said side walls beingperforated for passing said filtrate from said dynamic filter bed intosaid filtrate recovery chamber as said dynamic filter bed moves pastsaid side walls of said filtrate recovery chamber; a deflector platecoupled downstream, relative to movement of said dynamic filter bed pastsaid side walls of said filtrate recovery chamber, said deflector plateextending outwardly from said bottom into said dynamic filter bed forreducing movement of a portion of said dynamic filter bed moving pastsaid side walls; and, said deflector plate is adjustable relative toreducing movement of said portion of said dynamic filter bed moving pastsaid side walls of said filtrate recovery chamber.
 24. A filterapparatus for filtering unwanted contaminants from a liquid introducedinto said filter apparatus, said filter apparatus comprising:a vesselhaving an inlet means for introducing a liquid into a first chamber insaid vessel, said first chamber supporting a filter bed of a filtermaterial, said filter material being granular and multi-textured,ranging from a most coarse texture to a medium texture, to a most finetexture, said filter bed for filtering said liquid, said vesselincluding an outlet means for dispensing filtered liquid as a filtratefrom said vessel, and a first liquid level control means for maintaininga level of said liquid in said first chamber at a first predeterminedlevel, and a second chamber, positioned in said first chamber, spacedfrom a bottom region of said first chamber; a conduit means connectingsaid first chamber with said second chamber for conducting a firstportion of said liquid and a part of said filter material from saidfilter bed to said second chamber from said first chamber and fordepositing a said first portion of said liquid and said part of saidfilter material in said second chamber, said second chamber including asecond liquid level means for maintaining said first portion of saidliquid in said second chamber at a second level for creating a flow ofsaid first portion of said liquid through said conduit means from saidfirst chamber to said second chamber and for carrying with said flowsaid part of said filter material from said filter bed, and a firstopening in said second chamber having an opening approximating amid-point on a diameter of a cross section of said filter bed forproviding egress for said part of said filter material for leaving saidsecond chamber and returning to said filter bed; a conical deflectorplate located in said first chamber and having an apparent apexapproximating said mid-point on said diameter of said cross section ofsaid filter bed, said conical deflector plate having an uninterruptedincline surface extending from said apparent apex to an edge, said edgeapproximating a mid-point on a radius of said cross section of saidfilter bed, said uninterrupted inclined surface for deflecting said partof said filter material returning to said filter bed to a predetermineddrop zone on said filter bed for permitting said part of said filtermaterial to be classified according to texture during a drop from saidedge for forming a filter bed of a plurality of torus shaped, verticallyextended, discrete layers of granular filter material defined by a firsttorus shaped, vertically extended, discrete layer of said most finetexture granular filter material approximating said mid-point of saidradius of said filter bed, said first torus shaped layer interposedbetween a second torus shaped, vertically extended, discrete layer ofsaid medium texture granular filter material and a third torus shaped,vertically extended, discrete layer of said medium texture granularfilter material, said second torus shaped layer interposed between saidfirst torus shaped layer and a fourth torus shaped, vertically extended,discrete layer of most coarse texture granular filter material and saidthird torus shaped layer interposed between said first torus shapedlayer and a fifth torus shaped, vertically extended, discrete layer ofmost coarse texture granular material; said outlet means defined by afiltrate recovery chamber positioned in said first torus shaped,vertically extended, discrete layer of most fine granular filtermaterial, said filtrate recovery chamber including a closed top, aclosed bottom and side walls between said closed bottom and said closedtop, said side walls including a perforated portion thereof forpermitting passage of filtrate therethrough, a deflector plate locatedadjacent said closed bottom of said filtrate chamber and downstream, ina direction of movement of said filter bed, along said side walls, saiddeflector plate coupled, at one end thereof to said filtrate recoverychamber and extending to a free end thereof into said first torus shapedlayer of said most fine granular filter material for checking movementof a portion of said first torus shaped layer of said most fine granularfilter material moving along said perforated side walls of said filtraterecovery chamber; and a conductor means connected to said closed bottomfor conducting said filtrate from said filtrate recovery chamber andsaid vessel.
 25. A filter apparatus as in claim 24 and in which saiddeflector plate is planar.